The Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), has launched a new medium-term strategic plan aimed at bolstering merit-based recruitment, advancing digital reforms, and fostering inclusivity across Nigeria’s federal civil service.
This was disclosed made by the FCSC Chairman, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, during a Strategic Plan Stakeholders Validation Workshop held in Abuja yesterday, September 15, 2025.
Olaopa emphasized that the plan aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive, issued during the commission’s inauguration on December 13, 2023, to consolidate reform initiatives.
He noted that earlier repositioning efforts lacked depth due to insufficient research and stakeholder engagement.
“The new plan will provide evidence-based strategies, change management programmes, and measurable projects to guide the commission’s transformation,” Olaopa stated.
The strategy focuses on six key pillars: reinforcing the FCSC’s institutional independence, enhancing oversight and accountability, improving promotion exams and structured interviews, and developing digital recruitment platforms.
It also prioritizes linking career progression to performance metrics, incorporating citizen feedback, and expanding automated HR systems.
Additionally, the plan embeds ethical frameworks, strengthens internal audits, and promotes whistleblower protections while deepening merit-based implementation of federal character principles, with a focus on including women and persons with disabilities.
Olaopa highlighted the need for operational autonomy, stating, “Like the UK and Canada, the FCSC requires a strengthened legal framework and operational autonomy to concretise public administration profession’s gatekeeping by shielding career management in the civil service from political interference.”
He added that the strategy’s theory of change hinges on the belief that “if meritocracy, inclusivity, ethical practices, and digital reforms are fully implemented, the civil service will be repositioned to restore professionalism, transparency, and accountability.”
Over the next three years, the FCSC aims to professionalize its secretariat, enhance financial management, prioritize digitization, and improve staff welfare and stakeholder collaboration.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, represented by Mrs. Deborah Odoh, praised the FCSC’s inclusive approach.
“The decision to engage stakeholders at this stage reflects a deep appreciation of the value of inclusiveness, collaboration, and shared ownership of reforms within the civil service,” she said, noting that the plan is “a key enabler of the broader federal civil service reform agenda as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.”
Permanent Secretary of the FCSC, Mr. Philip Ndiomu underscored the workshop’s goal of repositioning the commission as a forward-thinking, performance-driven institution.
He urged participants to actively contribute to crafting a roadmap aligned with national priorities and global best practices, ensuring the civil service remains a robust engine for policy formulation and implementation in Nigeria.